The campaign team of the Social Democratic Front (SDF) one of the oldest opposition parties in Cameroon Saturday September 27 cruised into Bamenda, headquarters of the North West Region and birth place of the party to kickoff the crusade to enter 'Etoudi' ahead of the October 12 presidential elections in Cameroon.
SDF militants in Bamenda during campaign launch
The party's arrowhead and candidate for the October polls Osih Joshua Nambangi MP, addressing militants at the Commercial avenue grandstand highlighted the significance of Bamenda in the party's history noting that campaigns could not go ahead without Bamenda as starting point.
History records hold that on the 26th May 1992, Late Ni John Fru Ndi, pioneer leader of party forcefully launch the SDF in Bamenda opening the gate way to multiparty politics in Cameroon after 24 years of one party rule. Six civilians were unfortunately gunned down by security forces in an attempt to thwart the historic event.
"Bamenda has paid the highest price to make Cameroon a better place" Osih Joshua told a cheering crowd saying , "That is why I have decided to start my campaigns here today because here is the cradle of the movement to Liberate this country"
Hon Joshua Osih addressing militants in Bamenda
Calling on militants to be courageous,he reminded them that Cameroon will not be liberated if Bamenda does not not show the way.
"We have the capacity to bring solutions and stop the problems we have in this country. All I need to enter Etoudi is your support" he added.
He tasked militants to take the party's message to all corners of the region encouraging them to 'bravely' come out and vote massively for the party to put a stop to the sufferings.
The party ,he said has put in place mechanisms to defend their votes to avoid a repeat of the 2018 and 2020 scenarios when SDF was deprived of her stronghold by the the barrel of the gun.
The 2025 elections campaign kicked off in the middle of a lockdown with the exception of weekends imposed by armed separatist Ambazonia fighters to frustrate the exercise in the two Anglophone regions .
For more than eight years, the two regions have known no peace with what has become known as the Anglophone crisis.
The SDF candidate has promised to solve the crisis in the first one hundred days in office if elected emphasizing the return of federalism and directly engaging with the communities.
"You must have the courage to be present to be able to make peace.I am here today to launch my campaigns.Once elected I will not only come back to Bamenda, I will be in Fundong, Wum, Nkambe, Mbengwi, Ndop and Kumbo" he sounded
Fongu Cletus addressing militants in Bamenda during campaign launch
Speaking earlier at the campaign launch, Fonguh Cletus Tanwie, North West Regional Chairman of the SDF noted that, " no other political party can address the Anglophone problem more than the SDF"
Assuring the loyalty of the region to the party, he announced a door to door campaign strategy saying that the secret of getting rid of the 92 year-old incumbent CPDM candidate Paul Biya is to vote for Osih Joshua
Benjamin Fru Ndi Campaign Manager in a tone similar to that of his late father and pioneer leader of the SDF Ni John Fru Ndi observed that the challenges and pains faced in the region are glaring.
"We are sending a strong message to the rest of Cameroon that change is possible because we have a plan and we paid attention to the solutions," said Benjamin Fru Ndi calling on Cameroonians to vote for change by casting their ballots for the SDF Candidate.
Benjamin Fru Ndi addressing militants in Bamenda
It should be noted that the SDF is campaigning on the program of reforming state institutions, job creation, free Identity cards, free land titles, family grants, free education, free and accessible healthcare amongst others.
Expected in Kumba, South West Region this Sunday September 28, the SDF national campaign team will tour the ten regions of Cameroon before voting day on October 12, 2025.
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By Wawa Jackson Nfor Lamu
Email: hilltopvoicesnewspaper@gmail.com
Tel: 694 71 85 77
